An Unplanned Discovery
In 1913, a farmer striking dense stone while ploughing a field in Tarxien, Malta, led to one of the most significant archaeological discoveries on the island. Excavations led by Sir Themistocles Zammit between 1915 and 1919 revealed a complex of four megalithic temples. The site, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, comprises structures built between 3600 and 2500 BCE. These temples represent the high point of Malta's temple-building culture, a period known as the Tarxien Phase (3150-2500 BCE).
The temple builders used local globigerina limestone, a relatively soft stone that is easier to work when first quarried. This allowed for an unexpected level of artistic detail. The South Temple, in particular, contains a collection of prehistoric art. Its walls and altars feature spiral motifs and detailed low-relief carvings of domesticated animals, including goats, bulls, rams, and a sow with piglets. The realism of these sculptures provided new evidence of the observational skills and artistic skill of Neolithic societies. The discovery of stone spheres on site suggests a possible method for transporting the massive limestone blocks, some weighing up to 20 tons, without the use of the wheel.
A Goddess and a Graveyard
Among the most impressive finds was the lower portion of a colossal statue. Based on the surviving fragment of a skirted figure with robust legs, archaeologists estimate the original statue stood approximately 2.5 meters tall. This "fat lady" statue, a common motif in Maltese prehistory thought to represent fertility, is the largest known anthropomorphic representation from the Mediterranean Neolithic period.
The temple-building culture came to an abrupt end around 2500 BCE. The Tarxien complex was later repurposed by a new culture during the Bronze Age, between 2400 and 1500 BCE. These new inhabitants used the South Temple as a cremation cemetery. Archaeologists found a distinct layer of ash, cremated human remains, pottery, and bronze tools directly over the Neolithic temple floor, separated by a layer of sterile soil. This later use of the site shows its importance in the area, even as the beliefs and practices of the local population changed completely. Many of the most delicate carvings and artifacts, including the original statue fragment, have been moved to the National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta for preservation.